PRESIDENT-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has applauded one of his keen admirers, Suleiman Hashimu, who for 18 days embarked on a long trek from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate his victory at the March 28 polls.

Buhari, who received Hashimu at his presidential campaign headquarters in Abuja about 6pm yesterday, congratulated him over the feat.

He said: “I want to congratulate you for making it. You are a young man and you are lucky that his health did not fail him.

“I also heard so many stories that you wore almost half a dozen pair of shoes.

“I also understand that there are people who have been quite generous to help you to pay for more pair of shoes,” he told him.

Hashimu, who was elated for achieving the feat, said he felt fulfilled over the rare opportunity of meeting Buhari, who he described as his role model.

He stated that he was happy that he kept his promise, saying he embarked on the trek to celebrate the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the presidential election.

“I made a promise because of the love I have for Buhari that if he should win the election, I will trek from Lagos to Abuja, which I have done.

“I thank God that I made a promise and I fulfill the promise,” Hashimu noted.

Fielding questions from journalists, he stated that it took him 18 days to trek from Lagos to Abuja, covering a distance of about 12 hours daily.

“I passed through Kwara and Niger states to Abuja. I was trekking from 6am to 6pm and anywhere I find myself, when it is 6pm, I pass the night there,” he disclosed.

Continuing, Hashimu noted that notwithstanding the fact that he faced challenges on the way, it was left to Doubling Thomases among Nigerians to believe him or not.

He noted: “Once I found myself inside the bush by 6pm and I managed to continue the trek till 9pm to a nearby village.

“I made this promise two years ago. I am based in Ibadan and I started my journey from Lagos, because Lagos is the most popular city in Nigeria and I started from Berger Junction in Lagos.

“I am not bothered about what people think; it is a promise between me and my God. I don’t want anybody to believe me. I left Lagos because I made a promise.

“Right from Kwara State, I never walked alone for five kilometres. People always walk with me to the next village. I work with a construction company based in Ibadan.”